The Underground Railroad eBook

slim built, tall man with whiskers. He was a man
of very good disposition. I always belonged to
him; he owned three. He always said he would
sell before he would use a whip. His wife was
a very mean woman; she would whip contrary to his
orders.” “Who was your father?”
was further inquired. “John Wesley Galloway,”
was the prompt response. “Describe your
father?” “He was captain of a government
vessel; he recognized me as his son, and protected
me as far as he was allowed so to do; he lived at
Smithfield, North Carolina. Abram’s master,
Milton Hawkins, lived at Wilmington, N.C.”
“What prompted you to escape?” was next
asked. “Because times were hard and I could
not come up with my wages as I was required to do,
so I thought I would try and do better.”
At this juncture Abram explained substantially in what
sense times were hard, &c. In the first place
he was not allowed to own himself; he, however, preferred
hiring his time to serving in the usual way.
This favor was granted Abram; but he was compelled
to pay $15 per month for his time, besides finding
himself in clothing, food, paying doctor bills, and
a head tax of $15 a year.

[Illustration: HON. ABRAM GALLOWAY]

Even under this master, who was a man of very good
disposition, Abram was not contented. In the
second place, he “always thought Slavery was
wrong,” although he had “never suffered
any personal abuse.” Toiling month after
month the year round to support his master and not
himself, was the one intolerable thought. Abram
and Richard were intimate friends, and lived near
each other. Being similarly situated, they could
venture to communicate the secret feelings of their
hearts to each other. Richard was four years
older than Abram, with not quite so much Anglo-Saxon
blood in his veins, but was equally as intelligent,
and was by trade, a “fashionable barber,”
well-known to the ladies and gentlemen of Wilmington.
Richard owed service to Mrs. Mary Loren, a widow.
“She was very kind and tender to all her slaves.”
“If I was sick,” said Richard, “she
would treat me the same as a mother would.”
She was the owner of twenty, men, women and children,
who were all hired out, except the children too young
for hire. Besides having his food, clothing and
doctor’s expenses to meet, he had to pay the
“very kind and tender-hearted widow” $12.50
per month, and head tax to the State, amounting to
twenty-five cents per month. It so happened, that
Richard at this time, was involved in a matrimonial
difficulty. Contrary to the laws of North Carolina,
he had lately married a free girl, which was an indictable
offence, and for which the penalty was then in soak
for him—­said penalty to consist of thirty-nine
lashes, and imprisonment at the discretion of the
judge.